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The Hit and Run Driver
Joe Friday and Bill Gannon investigate a hit and run downtown. Can they get the witnesses to describe who did it and catch the driver before it is too late? Story Act 1 Thursday June 26, 1967 Friday and Gannon are sitting down for breakfast with Norm Jacoby from the LA Harold Examiner. Today they are working in the Felony Followup Division in Accident Investigations. Friday shows Jacoby several photos of recent accidents they are enough to make Jacoby lose his appetite. After paying the bill Friday and Gannon head back to the office. It is a slow day and they are about to go home when Captain Jaynes comes in. A Hit and Run has happened downtown near the bar and Friday and Gannon are dispatched to investigate. When they get there the officers fill them in. An elderly couple was crossing the street when the hit and run happened. Both of the victims are dead and the driver has fled the scene of the accident. Friday and Gannon go inside the bar and question the two patrons they point them to a cab driver named Dugan. Outside Friday and Gannon flag down a cab and the driver calls dispatch. Dugan just clocked out at 5:00PM and has gone home. The Cabby gives them his address and they drive to Dugan's house. Bob Dugan tells them what he saw and gives a description of the car. Bob tells them his pay might get docked if he has to testify in court. Friday and Gannon interview two other witnesses and then put out an Area C APB (All Points Bulletin) they return to the office and have the story ran in the press. June 27th 8:33 AM Friday and Gannon get their first calls and the tips start coming in but they are all dead ends. Friday calls Ray Murray at SID and the autopsy comes up negative.They get their big break when one of the tips gives them the exact location of the missing car. The woman Miss Bronson tells them a Mr Stewart did it. Friday and Gannon go to the garage the evidence is false and the witness lied. Friday and Gannon call the office the captain tells them that the windshield was replaced and they head to the garage to question the mechanic. He gives them all the evident they need. Friday and Gannon drive to the Fillmore house and question Clayton's wife. She tells them our suspect Clayton Fillmore was drinking and is at work. Mrs. Fillmore says she will file divorce papers if Clayton is found guilty. Act 2 Friday and Gannon drive to Clayton's office. The secretary buzzes them in and they go into his office. Friday does not even need to read him the Miranda Law his lawyer is right there with him. Fillmore admits to his crime and he is arrested. Friday and Gannon do fallow up and the car is impounded. Fillmore is booked for manslaughter and hit and run. His lawyer tells him that he should be out by lunch time but Friday gives him a hard talk and storms out to have lunch and Gannon escorts Fillmore down to traffic court. 1:15 PM Friday is about to close the case when the captain comes in. Fillmore has been put out on bail and Friday puts out an arrest warrant to get him. 1:35 PM Murray calls them into SID the final piece of evident is presented and the evidence is a match and Fillmore is arrested again. Three Months Later Fillmore is placed on trial and booked. Fillmore gets 3 years probation and a suspended sentence with a $250.000 fine for drunk driving and the deaths of the two victims. Five Months later Friday and Gannon get another case. The Fillmore's were on their way to a party when they ran a red light two teens are dead. Friday and Gannon drive to the hospital to check on Fillmore and his wife. Mrs. Fillmore has seven broken ribs and Clayton is in a coma because of trauma caused by the accident. Mrs. Fillmore tells them how she tied to convince him not to drive and because the crash he will lose both of his legs Sentencing Clayton Fillmore was found guilty of two counts of felony manslaughter which can be punished by up to one year in the country jail or up to five years in the state prison. He received the maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. Since he is disabled the sentence was suspended but he is forbidden from driving even though "artificial legs could have made it possible for him to do so".